


Nigel & Adam (Spacedogs au)

by LittleBluejay_SingingSongs



Series: Nigel & Adam [1]
Category: Adam (2009), Charlie Countryman (2013), Hannibal (TV), Hannibal - Fandom, Hannibal Extended Universe - Fandom, Spacedogs - Fandom
Genre: M/M, New Year’s Eve, Pasadena - Freeform, Rose Bowl Parade
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-14
Updated: 2019-02-17
Packaged: 2019-10-27 22:07:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 8,746
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17775089
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LittleBluejay_SingingSongs/pseuds/LittleBluejay_SingingSongs
Summary: Nigel, in New York, recovering from his head wound.Adam, in Pasadena, recovering from his breakup.New Year’s Eve, Nigel and Adam end up in each other’s arms. 🎇🎆🌠Luc can’t believe what he is seeing. ❤️❤️❤️😎They move in together in part three. 🥰





	1. Awake

**Author's Note:**

> Chapter 6/Happy Valentine’s day ❤️.  
> No beta. 🤷♀️(Won’t you be my beta?)  
> The conclusion, part 3 has a happy ending.
> 
> There is a Luc in Charlie Countryman, and I liked the name Luc, but this is not him. This Luc is more like Viggo Mortensen, or Nikolai Coster-Waldau, (he’s from a movie called “The Baker” in Europe and “Assissin in love” in the US.)
> 
> Luc is a chauffeur, knows how to use firearms, his trained in school to be a doctor.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Waking up with no memory of where you are, or why your even there. In a limbo state of mind. Waiting for someone to tell you who you are.

                                          

 

He woke. He felt fused to the bed. As if he and the bed had merged. As if, if he were to move, he’d hear the bed groan in pain. The sun was just lighting up the room. He thought he was at home, but that wasn’t right. The walls were white and the window was in the wrong place. Where was the group of pictures that lived on his walls? He blinked. It felt so good. He shut his eyes. Sounds of machines, of people walking, and he slid into sleep.

 

 

He woke at midday, unaware it was nine days later. This time he again felt like he was trapped in cement. He looked around. The light was too bright. The noises were too too loud. Achingly loud. Vehicles outside roared. He looked at the walls, they were still wrong. His mind played tricks on him to make sense of his perceptions. I must be living next to the autobahn. A man entered the room in a white lab coat. Because they are doing experiments on me! Unknown to him his blood pressure went from 100/70 to 180/60. The Doctor instructed the nurse to change his meds, and left.  In his mind he screamed, until the drugs took effect and he slept.

 

 

He woke in a darkened room, three days later. Slowly he became aware someone was walking around. It was a nurse talking to him she said, “Hello, there.” His eyes became heavy and then he slept.

 

 

Another day went by, without his knowing, a nurse was talking to him, in the dark. He thought she was speaking some language he had never heard before. He couldn’t unscramble even the idea of what she was saying. He tried to calm himself, to breathe normal. Why am I here? She adjusted the bed, handed him a small cup with a pill in it. He looked at it like he’d never seen a cup with a pill in it before. She waited patiently for him to finally reach up and take the cup. He asked her, “What’s the time?” Not realizing he had asked in Romanian.

She smiled at him, “It is six a.m. time to take your pill.” He did. He drank the water she gave him. She lowered the bed. He relaxed. He stretched and realized his arm had a tube stuck in it. Fear rose up in his chest, as did his blood pressure, his breathing became ragged. “I’m going to die. Help me.” He was pretty sure he was yelling, but his voice was a mumbled croaking sound in Romanian. The nurse came up to him, smiling gently, saying, “There, there. You’re fine. Everything is fine. There is nothing to be worried about. You are doing really well.” Sliding into a dream state. He was with Gabi. Gabi making him breakfast. He slept.

 

 

Uncomfortable and sore, he tried to sit. Everything hurt. The nurse came in, “Well, hello there. How are we feeling today?” She walked around moving things, “Shall we raise your bed up?” She kept looking at his eyes. He looked away at the ‘not my window’ window. Then she said, “Doctor will be here in a moment.” She smiled and nodded to him. It was a different nurse. 

Doctor came in, looked him in the eye, held his hand, said a bunch of things that made no sense. Finally he said, “Hello Mister Las-a-kes-ku.”

He had never before seen a black Doctor. Everything seemed wrong. No. I’m in a movie. Somebody was in the bathroom. What were they doing in my house? Doctor was still talking, “I am..something, something, surgery something else, went..blah blah..coma.” Everyone is talking in English. I’m in a movie. Doctors make house calls in movies.

“A coma?” He croaked.

“Medically induced coma. You’re fine now. In a couple of days we’ll have you up and walking..blah blah.” His voice was soft and pleasant. It was also easy to tune out. He blinked. The Doctor was gone. He remembered a girl saying, “People come and go here so fast.”

 

 

He awoke to being given another pill, and ‘his’ nurse setting him up with a tray of food. He ate his breakfast slowly. Everything was so wrong. Where the fuck am I? People kept walking in and out, or looking in the door and then leaving.

He was eating. He stared at the tray. The breakfast was gone. A lunch or maybe a dinner sat in front of him. “You have a visitor. Would you like to sit up?” The nurse raised the bed and he watched as a man entered the room.

“Shit Mr. Lăzărescu, it is good to see you.” He nodded in return, wondering who was this? “They wouldn’t let me visit you, boss, all this time.” He nodded again. “Everything is okay. The Doctors fixed you up, and when you can walk. When you can walk, we can leave. Okay?” The man nodded to the nurse and she left.

He tried to talk, the man came closer to hear, in Romanian he asked, “Call me by my first name?”

“Sure, Nigel. I can call you Nigel from now on.” Nigel smiled.

                          


	2. Nigel leaves the hospital.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nigel has Luc take him out of the hospital and back to his apartment.

 

Nigel insisted on sitting up at the next six a.m. pill. He waited until the nurse was gone then, he slid the covers down. He scooted his left heel along the bed up to his knee and down. Then repeated the move with his right foot. And stayed that way until he was cold and sleepy. He looked over his body, and carefully felt his neck and head, and found the bandage. Shit. Fucking shit. I’m in a hospital. I have a head wound. I have to get out of here. I have to find Gabi. He swung his feet over the edge of the bed. He tried to stand, causing the clip on his finger to slide off. He stood up and got a little dizzy and swayed against the bed. A nurse came in, “Oh dear.” Nigel wondered why a deer would be here. She helped him back in bed.

Hours later the nurses came in to change the bandage. His nurse said, “This is the first time you’re awake when we’re changing your bandage.” He didn’t like them touching him. “That didn’t take too long did it?” She smiled and they left.

 

A man was standing next to him talking, “Hey boss, Nigel. How are you?”

Who was this guy? Nigel whispered in Romanian, “What’s your name?”

“Sorry boss, Nigel. I’m Luc. Is there anything you want to know, or want, or want me to do?”

Nigel glanced at the room, “Where?”

“We are in a hospital. In New York.”

“How?”

“When Darko”, (Right! Darko!) “found that you were not dead. The police thought you were dead! So they let Darko take your body. Then you were alive. He threw you and me on a private plane to New York. And here we are.”

“You?”

“Well, I studied medicine. I watched over you on the flight.” Luc paused a while, “He wants me to stay here. I got you a car, an apartment, do whatever you want.”

“I want to leave.”

“That’s not going to happen until you can walk. Be calm. Sleep. I’m always here, out in the hall.” They nodded at each other.

Nigel rested. He wondered why Luc was always talking to him in English. Later he thought about Gabi’s betrayal. He got a splitting headache. The Nurse and Luc both came in. She did something and Luc said, “Relax, be calm. When you’re upset, your blood pressure goes up, and it gives you a headache.” He tried. Suddenly it felt like he’d just taken a hit of something. Oh yeah. Hospitals have the best drugs. Nigel enjoyed the sensation for a while, then slept.

                                                         ________________________________

 

Four days later Luc drove Nigel to the apartment he had rented when they had first arrived. Luc wanted a nice place for when Nigel left the hospital. And nice places in New York are either expensive or far away. Luc chose far away. Nigel watched Luc, he watched out the window. Everything was shit. The food tasted weird. Everything was too loud. The pills were not strong enough. Everything was too cold. And he couldn’t think of Gabi without a headache.

Two days and two headaches later Nigel asked, “How much longer do we stay here?”

“Nigel. We can go anywhere and do anything, except flying. That will do bad things to your insides.”

“Take me someplace warmer.”

Luc smiled. He began packing immediately. He even found a Romanian girl to take over the apartment.


	3. The trip begins.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bored Nigel begins a trip west.

It was cold and windy as they drove over the bridge. Luc noticed Nigel had sunk down in his seat, “Nigel are you okay?”

“Where am I?”

”We’re in New York.” Luc drove for a while watching the traffic.

Nigel though it was a text book for an accident.

Luc made a wrong turn and had to re-route in his head. Never occurred to him to ask Nigel to be his navigator. He was even with a street that was empty! He quickly pulled in, double parked and checked the route he’d downloaded on his iPad. He was about to continue the trip, when he glanced at Nigel. Nigel had relaxed. So, he must be having a hard time with being in a moving vehicle or the noise of the traffic was too much for him, “We’ll be out of the city in about an hour.” Nigel was not a touchy-feely kind of guy. They drove several hours.

 

 

When they stopped for gas Luc logged on, no connection. He drove and looked out for a MacDonalds. Nigel slept in the parking lot and Luc returned with food. In the car he ate and logged in. He set up a route taking them off the freeways. He checked out hotel locations. Places to eat. And just random info Nigel might want to know. Luc finished eating. Nigel still slept.  Luc skyped Darko, “We are out of New York City and heading west and sort of south.”

“How’s Nigel?”

“See for yourself.” Luc rotated the iPad towards the sleeping man.

“So he only has a plaster now?” Darko smiled.

Luc smiled back, “Two. One on top. They call them bandaids here. As in bandages.”

“When you find where you’re going, then call me. Unless he dies.” Darko hung up.

 

They were in Amish, pronounced Ah-Mish, country, and behind a black horse drawn vehicle with a red triangle on the back, when Nigel woke. “Nigel are you okay?” Nothing.

Nigel stretched, yawned and asked, “Why are we going so slow?” He ran his hands carefully over his hair.

“It’s a, ah cal și buggy.” They reached a little city, a town.

“Let’s eat.” At a restaurant they turned into the parking lot, Nigel saw the horse pulling the buggy for a brief moment. This is America. And in the countryside they have horses. Working horses. Like back home.

Some noisy guys were already inside the restaurant. Luc went over to them. He didn’t appear to say anything. The guys started to leave. Nigel was at the entrance. They paused. He looked them over, “Pay your bill.” Nigel looked at the bill and the money, “You call that a tip?” The men suddenly realized they were between Luc and Nigel. Nigel had a bandage on his forehead, which did not make him look vulnerable. They put down more bills. Nigel looked at the waitress, “We’d like a table for two.”

Luc looked out the windows. Nigel sat, he ate. Luc paid, tipped, and was polite. At the entrance Nigel looked at a notice board covered in papers, things for sale.

“Anything?”

“It’s nice and quiet here, maybe we could find a place for the night?” Nigel used the toilet. When he returned, Luc had arranged for them to sleep in a farmhouse type place two farms off the Main Street.

The Amish farmer and his family reminded Nigel, of a cross between his friend’s grandparents and Darko’s parents. He didn’t really see the children, since they spent the next few days at friends’ houses. The place was comfortable.

The next morning Nigel sat and watched the farmer work. He sat on a bale of hay, bundled up against the cold and smiled at seeing Luc doing farm chores. Nigel decided he and Luc would eat lunch and dinner at the restaurant every day. Partly to give the family a break and partly for his own exercise.


	4. The visit.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes one has to immerse themselves into a new environment, to relax.

Nigel sat in the barn. He shivered in the cold. The wife brought out a blanket, and wrapped it around him. He thanked her. He smelled the animals and plants, mainly hay, and whatever they else they grew. He heard a horse whinny. Chickens ran around his feet. He relaxed.

While eating lunch, Nigel stated to Luc, “I like the blanket. They make them. Buy me one. Buy one for yourself if you want.”

Luc nodded, “This afternoon, okay?”

“Yes.” He gave him a sly smile, “That is if your chores are done.” He wanted a smoke. “Buy me cigarettes.” Luc did not bother answering. They both knew he would not buy them.

 

Luc talked to the farmer. He easily found the farm with a shed. Inside was anything and everything for sale. This farmer and his wife showed Luc a stack of homemade blankets. Each was different. “What is the best one you have?” Luc paid cash. “Do you have any knives?”

“No. Sorry.”

                                

 

 

A week later Nigel asked the farmer, “Tomorrow we leave. May we buy eggs?”

He replied, “How many would you like?”

“A dozen or more.” The farmer nodded in reply. Nigel and these people seemed to understand each other. 

 

They both awoke the next morning to the smell of fresh breads. The wife had made rolls, eggs, bacon, and several dishes of things they had never eaten before. But, somehow seemed familiar to dishes they had eaten, back in Romania. Luc packed the car and left it running, as they ate. The farmer and his wife had their children return, for this meal. It was nice listening to them. Knowing Nigel had a problem with noises they spoke quietly. And they liked to laugh.

The two men stood, nodded and thanked the farmer. Nigel had not seen it, but he knew Luc had paid the man. The wife handed Luc a bag, as they left. He thanked her politely. The bag contained more than the eggs.

They drove away on a Friday morning. They ate the wife’s cooking on the road.

It was dark, as Luc pulled into a motel with kitchens. He dropped Nigel off, and returned with groceries. They ate omelette for dinner.

At breakfast they ate the eggs scrambled. Nigel remembered watching Gabi eating breakfast. He distracted himself by opening Luc’s computer. Luc came over and placed his thumb on a button. The machine turned on. Luc wanting a coffee, pointed to a spot at the top. Nigel touched it. A map page opened. When he was done checking out their route he looked at the weather, then at the route again. Luc stood and looked over Nigel’s shoulder, he pointed, “This way or this way.”

“South.” Nigel took his pills and they left.


	5. Los Angeles.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nigel sleeps his way across the heartland, Las Vegas and into Los Angeles.

“America is fucking huge.” Luc smiled as he replied to Nigel’s question, “How many days before we hit the Pacific?” 

“At the rate we’re going? A month. If we take freeways, maybe five days? Maybe less if you took a turn driving.” When Nigel looked at him and didn’t say anything, Luc shrugged and added, “It depends on how much time you spend stopped.”

“Take the southern route, the 40.” Nigel closed the iPad and handed it to Luc. Luc one handed, slid it under his seat. Nigel snuggled under his blanket. He stared absently at the stars on it until he dosed off. Luc looked for a place to pull over. He studied the map, then continued driving. Hours later, Luc merged onto the 40 westbound. When Nigel was sound asleep Luc stopped and got a coffee. Even though the rest of the day was very boring, Luc liked the American freeways. When he was done with his coffee he crushed the cup and hid it under his seat with the IPad.

 

They again, slept in a place with a kitchen. Luc noticed Nigel seemed a little down. Being stuck sitting, for hours on end did not help. Luc made Khachapuri, a Romanian dish and bought a bottle of wine. He modified the recipe by omitting potatoes, and using store bought bread dough. Nigel sat at the motel table eating the dinner Luc had made, “How did you make this? They don’t sell this in America. You’re a pretty good cook.” Nigel smiled.

 

Luc felt a flush of pride. Nigel had never complemented him on his cooking before. Nigel asked dryly, “Is there anything you can’t do?”

“I really suck at firearms. Can’t bring myself to pull the trigger.”

Nigel shrugged and looked for a cigarette, “There’s no fucker’s to kill here.” They smiled together. 

“I don’t do so bad at pinning someone down.” Nigel lit his cigarette. Luc walked to the door, “When in America,” Luc waved to the door, “everyone smokes outside. Unless you’re in your own house.” Nigel sighed, they went outside. They took a longer walk, than a cigarette’s length. “I did bouncer for Draco. Until he found that I studied medicine. Then he asked me to take this trip with you.”

 ”I don’t remember you.”

”I was the one who sewed you up when you got cut here,” Luc pointed.

”Oh. That was you?”

”Bine, Bine.” Luc forgetting, switched to Romanian. Oops. In America, speak American. Unless, of course it was necessary. He didn’t want Nigel to be confused about where he was.

”Thank you. That was a nice job. It healed well,” Nigel answered in Romanian.

***

They continued their trip. When Nigel grew restless, they stopped at a ‘scenic view’. Nigel walked back and forth. They both stretched.

The next four days blurred into driving and sleeping. Nigel still thought everything tasted off, so they kept buying eggs, veggies, bread, milk and water. He wanted a beer. Luc said “No.” Especially when he realized Nigel was overdoing on the pills.

They reached Los Angeles in the dark, to a new moon. It was a large black plain covered in lights. It looked like the stars in the night sky. Nigel remembered a phrase, ‘As above, so below.’ He tried to remember where he had heard it. Nothing.

They kept driving, the stars grew thicker. Nigel slept.

Luc found a hotel, and left Nigel sleeping, while he moved everything inside. Then he watched over Nigel as he slept. When he woke they went inside. The place served both dinner and a breakfast. Nigel ate oatmeal.

Luc worked out in the gym. He waited days for Nigel to decide what he wanted to do.

Nigel wanted to be close to the hills, to be away from everyone. In a house. Someplace quiet. Luc started exploring, leaving Nigel at the hotel. He wanted to take Nigel out of there, once Nigel found that the place served beer.


	6. Adam

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adam moved to Pasadena, California. When he’s over the Beth entanglement, she sends him a gift.

 

                         

Adam moved to Pasadena. He took a bus to work everyday, for six months, then, he received a package from Beth. He took it with him after work, and sitting on a park bench, he opened the package. It was a book. Titled “Adam”. He read the first few pages. He closed the book and put it back inside the envelope. Then he placed it inside his book bag and went to the bar where he met his colleagues from work, for ‘happy hour’. Then he went home.

Adam ate dinner, watched TV, took a shower and went to bed. He kept thinking about the book. He sat up in bed. He thought about Beth for a long time. He decided she had lied to him all the time. She lied about meeting her parents at the theatre. She made love with him in bed. The way normal people have love relationships together. He thought they had a normal relationship. He thought she loved him. It must have been a lie. He had thought she would be in Pasadena with him. Did he make a mistake? He couldn’t remember. Did she ever say that she wanted to be with him? That she wanted to go to California. With him.

He realized he had stopped thinking of her every day. But for a long time, he had thought of her every day, and it hurt.

Then the book came, and it hurt again. She used me. She took what he had shared with her, his name, the animals, and who he is!, and wrote a book. And now she is selling this book, for everyone to read. And making money. She used me.

He quivered. He pulled out his ‘heavy’ blanket. And curled up under it and went to sleep.

In the morning, Adam dressed, ate, started the laundry, and began cleaning his apartment. He kept looking at the book on the table. He went to the store and bought his groceries, brought them back in his wheelie cart, and put everything away. He was tired. He sat at the table and took the book out of the envelope.

The book had become an art project for Beth. He took one of the brown paper bags the clerk had loaded his groceries in, and unfolded it. Carefully undoing the glued seams he opened it, trimmed the paper with scissors, turned it over and wrapped the book inside. He sealed it with tape. Which immediately came undone. He had no glue. What is glue? Something sticky.

Adam looked around his apartment. He looked out the window. It was almost time for dinner. He opened his computer and wrote out a thank you and sent it to Beth. Then he made dinner, and did his evening routine. This time he watched one of his dvd’s.

The next day was Sunday. Adam did his morning routine. He looked for something gluey. He had no flour. Mac and cheese is sticky. Melted sugar can be sticky. He looked at the wrapped up book. The featureless brown. He decided to re-label it. “Do Not Open”. Or maybe “Beth’s Book”. He thought, she used me. And decided to write that. He wanted it in big letters. So he stacked the words. And liked the way it was three letters, four letters then two. He looked up fonts, picked one and using a black marker wrote the words. Suddenly inspired he left the building, and went to a ‘party’ store. He bought glue and a red heart shaped balloon. He took it to the park and watched the sun play on the surface.

A woman with two children walked up to him and stopped. Adam looked at her, briefly and then at her two children.

“Are you waiting for someone?” She asked.

“No.” He got nervous at the way she was looking at him.

“I don’t mean to be rude,” she hesitated.

“Just tell me what you want.” Adam was upset with himself, because his voice sounded like a child’s.

“Well. Okay. This is a dog park on that side, and you have no dog.” They both looked at the dogs. “And it is a children’s park on that side, and you have no child.” They all looked at the children. “And over and around the far side is a par course, and you are not exercising.” He knew about the par course behind himself. He looked at her, he looked at his balloon. He wondered why she was pointing out the layout of the park. He wondered why she was still talking to him. What did she want? And yes he had no dog. Obviously. He had no child. Obviously! He was sitting on a bench looking at the play of light over the shape of the balloon. What did she want?

Finally another older mom joined them, she asked, “Are you waiting for someone?”

“No.”

“What are you doing here?”

“I’m looking at the way the sunlight looks on the surface of the heart.”

She continued gently? Amused? Happy? “Maybe it’s because your balloon is a red heart with I Love You, written on it, that it is drawing the attention of the children, and the mom’s here find that upsetting.” Adam looked at the children, he saw that they too were looking at the balloon.

The first mom said, “Maybe you could go look at it someplace else?”

“I’m done.” Now he didn’t know what to do with the balloon. He couldn’t put it in the trash. It would float away. He couldn’t let go of it. Again floating. He could take it home, but he didn’t want it anymore.

The second mom eyed Adam, “The children do like it.” Adam smiled nervously. “Maybe we could tie it to the jungle gym, and they can all watch it?” Adam froze. She continued, “Give me the balloon and I will tie it up for you.”

“Thank you”, he said as he passed the balloon to her. He left the park and never saw her tying the balloon up, nor the tots jumping up to try to touch it. He never went back to the park. In fact he never thought of the park either.

 

Adam used a red marker to draw a red heart shaped balloon around the words. Then he filled it in, leaving blank spots where the sunlight had reflected on the balloon. He added the tag and the string at the bottom. He glued the package shut and stacked books on top. The next day when the glue was dry he placed the package in his closet, under his dad’s flag.

He didn’t forget it was there. He just didn’t think about it anymore.                                                                


	7. Colorado Street

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adam ventures out on New Years Eve. He does not know how different Colorado Street in Pasadena, California on New Years Eve is so very different from New Years Eve in New York.  
> Adam is also sure he has just been assaulted by Nigel.

Adam liked the work he was doing. His boss had a way of being very specific in his directions, and letting him know exactly what he wanted. He came by every morning and said hello, and never asked any questions. Which took off all the pressure Adam felt when he had to come up with answers. His boss also had an online form to be used when Adam wanted to make any changes. Which Adam found easy to complete. Over time about one third of his ‘suggested’ changes were implemented. One time he received a ‘gift’ card for his idea.

It was explained to him when he was having his ID pictures and other forms filled in, that they had picnic’s during the warm months and dinners in the winter months, and these were not mandatory. Also they were almost always on the same day or weekend of the year. He liked that these events and company’s holidays were listed on the calendar he was given. He liked that they always had the same format, and that he was accepted by the group. He liked where he lived, and took a company shuttle to work every day.

Most people may have found Adam’s life boring. But, Adam thrived working at The Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

Summer had a party at the end. Fall had a surprise for him when children in Halloween costumes showed up in the neighborhood. He quickly went out and bought a bag of candy to pass out.

                                            

Thanksgiving had him invited to a colleagues house. He liked the vegetables. And was surprised at how many people came.

For Christmas there was a ‘group’ party held the week before the 25. He was asked to bring a dessert. So, he bought a cake from a ‘cake store’. He was unaware that it was considered an expensive cake. He was also unaware that all of it was eaten. Weeks later, at work, one of the other employees let him know that his cake was ‘perfect’, and if he ever wondered what to bring to any event, one of those cakes would always be the perfect solution.

                                   

Adam bought Harlan a box of chocolates and sent it to him. He agonized over what to send Beth. Then the thought occurred to him, should he send Beth a gift, (no), or a card, (also no). When he did not receive a card from Beth, he was relieved. He taped the card he had bought to the refrigerator. Right in the middle of the freezer door. He liked the picture. It reminded him of Beth’s parents house, the last time he had been there.

Adam was aware it was New Years Eve. He and his Dad had considered New Year’s Day a free day. A day for doing whatever you wanted to do. He had been studying Mars all week. When people had invited him over, he had declined. He did not want to drink or watch games on TV. They kept talking about a parade to be held on the first. So he looked it up. The Rose Bowl Parade. The floats that he found the most interesting, had electronics or live animals. His favorite was the doggie’s surfing. Partly because of the logistics of dogs surfing, on moving water on a float, moving down a street.

Adam liked studying Mars, but the city had been getting noisier all day. The noise was now so loud he could no longer concentrate. It was cold and dark when he went out for a walk. But it was “California cold”. He didn’t need a hat or gloves.

He had noticed the city was decorated at Christmas, with roses along Colorado Street, but now the noise! What was going on? The parade isn’t until tomorrow morning. Horns blared. And the general overwhelming sound of lots of people. He neared Colorado Street. Sawhorses blocked cars from entering Colorado. He walked up to the street and saw people on the sidewalks and in the street. Everything was the same, yet different. First, it was night. And there were lots of people. Lots and lots of people. But there were no crowds. Everyone was with a friend or walking or running, or sitting on a beach chair ‘guarding’ empty chairs. People had blankets spread out next to the curb. There were large racks of empty bleacher seats every so often and he had to keep walking around blankets, bleachers and overflowing trash cans. Not a single car was parked on Colorado. None. There were very few cars driving on Colorado. He walked out onto the street, and he felt safe. There was so much distance between him and the next person. A horn blew. But it was many blocks away. So far away he couldn’t see who was blowing the horn. There was sticky stuff and trash and tortillas all over the street. None of which had been there the last time he had been on Colorado. Horns kept blaring, some closer, some farther away.

He stood there slowly roatating in a circle as he took in the view up and down Colorado. Everyone was happy, he thought. He watched some more. The people were playing. Nothing was threatening. Nobody was near him. It was interesting.

 

Nigel watched the loon in the street spinning in slow circles. He was an adult. But he didn’t look old enough to grow a beard. And he was wearing a forties or maybe a fifties style haircut. Either that or he was gay. Unless this haircut was a local style. This area being so close to Hollywood, who knew?

Luc and Nigel had been around the area looking for a new place to live. Luc wanted to be away from the current hotel. It was nice enough. It was just too far away from everything. Luc was tired of driving an hour each way.

Nigel had wanted to see what strange madness had taken over Pasadena. It was strange to him. All these people and every thing was clean. Nobody was dealing, no drinking. He saw one person smoking. There were even children running around in packs or with parents, or older siblings. And there were no police officers to be seen.

Luc rejoined him. “Nigel. There is a cherry-picker, one of those things that lift a man up, on the next street over.” They walked and talked in the same direction as the loon. They crossed a side street. And then another. This one had a few police cars. The officers were enjoying talking to each other, as they calmly watched up and down the street. They saw a sign about renting seats on the bleachers. They kept walking.

Nigel looked behind him, a bunch of bikes were heading towards the man in the street. Then he saw the car. It was electric. The driver was talking with the cyclists. Nigel yelled at the guy, “Hey.” The man did not react. Nigel ran to him and pulled him out of the way. Nigel didn’t think it was that big of a deal. Except the guy flailed a bit, and pulled them both down. Nigel laughed as he got up and pulled the guy upright. The car and the bikes were long gone.

                                            

 

Adam had been happily enjoying the New Year’s Eve and was heading back home. When a man grabbed him, spinning him around and pulled him down. On the ground. They were looking into each other’s eyes. Then just as suddenly he was being pulled upright. “Hi. Sorry about that. There was a car. I’m Nigel.”


	8. Nigel takes care of Adam

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nigel takes care of Adam. Sees him home and puts him to bed.

About three in the morning Luc finished typing an email, showered and went to bed.

 

Nigel could think of nothing, but Adam Raki. Nigel dreamed of Adam Raki. He had taken his shower thinking of Adam Raki. On the trip back, he had reviewed every moment spent with Adam Raki. Adam seemed a bit different. Honest. And his looks, pale, clear skin. Dark brown hair. Blue eyes. Adam was the male version of Snow White. This is the place, where Hollywood makes the movies. Adam might be an actor or a model. 

 

Nigel dreamed of Adam walking and twirling around on Colorado. The pure honesty of his movements. At the club he’d seen many dancers try to affect the feeling of joy. To move as if nobody’s watching. With such freedom.

It was good walking the guy away from Colorado. What a basket case. Strange, the tighter he held Adam, the calmer he became. Then he had stopped complaining and whining, by the time Luc had driven up with the car. Unlike Colorado, these side streets were empty with only the background noise coming up from the Colorado area. In the dark, in the quiet they drove. Nigel didn’t care where they were going. Gently cradling the man as if he were a wild animal. So frightened? They looked into each other’s eyes. Adam drooped his head down on Nigel’s shoulder and Nigel looked up. That’s when Nigel saw Luc’s phone taking a picture of him and Adam. Luc dropped his speed. Slowly they had moved up to Adam’s building. Nigel liked sitting in the back seat with the almost comatose Adam draped over his lap. It was like holding a child, with his head resting on Nigel’s shoulder. He didn’t want to give Adam up, when they stopped.

 

Luc had hoisted Adam over his shoulder and easily moved up the stairs two at a time, up to the second floor. Nigel had looked at the stairs on the outside of the building and felt vulnerable. He looked around as he went up. He was going to have to find a new place for Adam.

 

Luc unlocked the door and went inside. Easily holding Adam, he waited for Nigel to make a decision. Nigel had pulled Adam’s head up and checked his eyes. His hair! Soft. He wanted to be with this man again, and touch his hair again and again. And his eyes, looking right into him. 

 

“Luc, please put Mr. Raki on his bed.” Nigel walked into the bedroom first and pulled the covers back. Luc laid Mr. Raki on the bed, then slipped off his shoes and socks. He lifted his shoulders and saw Adam was watching him.

 

Nigel moved between Luc and the small table. He had started removing Adam’s coat, when Adam said, “You’re doing it wrong.” Nigel chose to ignore this statement and took the coat off. And moved around to place it on the foot of the bed.

 

Once Luc had laid Adam down and unsure what to make of ‘you’re doing it wrong.’ He left the bedroom and started to snoop. The place was an open book. The only personal items of any value was a computer/laptop and telescope. Which Luc opened to find out what was inside the case. He took a photo of various things, his JPL badge, the marker boards, and his books. When he went into the bathroom, he had to take a picture. It was the only bathroom he had ever seen that looked like an advertisement. He went back to the bedroom doorway and watched Nigel.

 

 

Nigel had unbuttoned the shirt, revealing an undershirt. He had also undone Adam’s slacks and was doing a clean and jerk to remove on them. He draped them over the coat. “That’s wrong.” Stated the prone man. Nigel gave him a smile, scary enough to make Luc go back into the living room.

 

Nigel picked up the pants and took keys out of a pocket, “Your keys.” He placed them on the table. He fished out a wallet, “Your wallet.” Which he also placed on the table. He took out a third item, looked at it, “Really?” And place it also on the table. Then he put the slacks again over the coat.

Adam tried to explain, “It’s just not right.”

                               

Nigel contemplated Adam for a moment, “You will fix it in the morning.” He drew the covers over Adam. Impulsively he said, “Kiss me good night, Adam.” Nigel moved closer to Adam. “You have to say yes or no.”

“Yes or no.” Nigel kissed him.

Thinking back on it, it was a very chaste kiss. The way parents kiss their children.

 


	9. Dreaming of Adam.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nigel can’t wait to see Adam again.

Nigel had finished his shower, he dressed. He sat down. Luc was staring at his laptop. When he finished reading he said, “Good morning Nigel.”

“Good morning,” Nigel replied in a way that made Luc uneasy. Luc passed over the coffee, he had brought back with him, when he had breakfast earlier. Nigel drank it down, “It’s not hot.”

 “Do you want to know about Adam Raki?”

Nigel looked at him over his empty cup, “I need another coffee.” Luc looked at his boss, thinking, oh, yeah. He likes the guy. But he’s never been with a guy before. Has he? Best check with Darko. Oh. Nigel wants to be with him right now? There was that second, that moment, Luc debated with himself, do we leave now? Or do I tell him who Adam Raki is?

Luc continued, “He was born in New York. Lived in the same apartment his whole life. Mother died when he was eight, Cancer. And the father died about 3 years ago, old age. Only child. Apparently home schooled. Has some sort of mild case of Autism. As in, he cannot tell what you’re thinking from your expression. Which also explains why he doesn’t have a New York accent. Went to college and is an engineer. Worked for a toy company. Left there. Came here. Works for a laboratory.

“Any other family?”

“No. Not so far.”

“Any relationships?”

“A girl named Beth. She dropped him when he moved here. And she is now engaged. The wedding is in three months.”

 

“Luc. Let’s go.” Nigel grabbed his things and headed for the door. Opening the door, he waited for Luc. “You’re amazing.” They walked to the elevator.

“Not really. I had one of Darko’s guy’s look into Adam.” The elevator opened. Couple of ladies were inside. One had a tiny dog.

As they drove away, “How did you get his address? And Keys?”

“Well.” Picking Adam’s pockets was too easy.

 

“Is there anything you want, Luc?”

 

“To move out of this place. Don’t get me wrong. Rancho Cucamonga is a nice place. But it is so far from everything.” Luc wondered again if the place had ever been a real, working ranch. It didn't look like any ranch he'd ever seen.

“How did you like Pasadena?”

“That area is much better.”

“Okay. Let’s have breakfast in Pasadena and check on Mister Raki.” Luc was sure they would be checking on Mister Raki first.

“What does he do?”

”At this laboratory, don’t know for sure,” he gave a tiny shrug, "clones people?” Nigel ignored him, and looked out the window at the mountains.

 


	10. Morning in Pasadena

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Two men in Pasadena on the first of January just visiting a friend.

Luc drove Nigel west on the two-ten freeway. They saw a solid black, inky black triangle in the sky. It moved like a plane. They took an exit. The parade route had thousands of people lining the streets. It wasn’t quite the horrible zoo it could have been. As they crossed Colorado, Nigel looked at a parade “float” in the distance. He saw a man wearing solid white with a bright red tie riding a white moped. Nigel incorrectly assumed the parade official was an undercover police officer.

 

As soon as they were away from the two-ten and Colorado, the streets were again empty. They stopped at Adam’s two story apartment building. It was a part of a series of buildings.

 

Adam was home. Inside, Adam stood staring at the door. Who could be knocking on his door? Somebody from work? Today was the first. He didn’t have to go to work today. One of his neighbors? That lady from downstairs? They knocked a second time. He froze. Finally he started thinking again. Maybe it was the guy he saw before that was taking out his trash that time he was taking out his trash? A third knock, “Adam, open the door.” What was he supposed to do? Nobody ever knocked before. “Adam. It’s Nigel please open the door. That way you can see me.” He took one step towards the door. “Open the door darling.” Darling? Was that Nigel’s voice? Suddenly the voice changed. It sounded like their mouth was right up to the crack between the door and the frame. Softly they said, “Walk to the door.” He walked to the door and opened it. Nigel’s face was right there, looking him right into his eyes.

 

Adam froze again. Nigel and Luc squeezed into the apartment. Luc shut the door and sat down. Nigel kept looking at him. Adam looked everywhere in a sort of vacant way. “Not fond of looking at peoples eyes, are you?”

 

“I have this thing..”  

 

Nigel cut him off, “It’s okay. You don’t have to explain. We are going to hug each other.” Nigel waited. Adam waited. Luc was pretty sure they should have eaten before they came to visit Adam. He looked out the window. Nigel smiled and threaded his arms under Adams arms and pressed his hands on Adam’s back. He moved closer and waited until he felt Adam’s hands on his own torso. Then he pressed their chests together. He waited for Adam to breathe. “Adam, breathe.” When Adam’s breathing became normal, Nigel moved one arm out from under Adam’s arm, reached up and caressed Adam’s head. His hair! His fingers were hyper aware of every strand. Farther in, he felt the dampness, that remained after Adam had showered. He moved Adam’s head until it was resting on his shoulder.

 

“Why are you doing this?” Adam asked into Nigel's neck. 

“Does it feel good?”

Adam sort of giggled, “Yes.” Nigel turned and kissed Adam's forehead.

“You put my clothes away the wrong way.”

“Today you can teach me the right way.”

“Okay.” Nigel kissed him again.

“Now?”

“Now.” Nigel kept one arm wrapped around Adam the whole time they walked around the apartment. Adam was explaining the clothes basket.Then he began the 'going to bed routine'. When Adam was done Nigel asked, “Do you have a routine for breakfast?”

“Yes. I eat cereal. Then wash the bowl and spoon. And the table.”

“Have you eaten breakfast?” Adam froze again. “Did you eat breakfast today?”

“Yes.” Nigel kissed his forehead. Adam glanced at Nigel’s face, “People don’t usually touch each other this way.”

“They do when they like each other.”

“You like me?”

“Yes, I do. Always.” Adam’s face slowly froze. “You don’t believe me, Adam?”

“Apparently when people say they love you, it doesn’t mean forever. Nigel if I moved away from this city, how long before you would say goodbye.”

“Adam you are the captain of my ship. I go where you command.”

 


	11. Two hours later.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Luc goes out to breakfast and worries about what type of relationship Nigel and Adam have, but he didn’t have to worry, even though Adam did get hurt.

Luc could see where this was heading. He shifted in his seat, then he stood up. Nigel stopped caressing Adam, “Luc hasn’t had his breakfast yet. Luc is going to leave. He will eat his breakfast and bring one back for me. Adam do you want anything?” There were way too many answers for Adam to quickly give an answer. Nigel rotated a bit and looked at Luc. Luc left, hearing Nigel crooning to Adam, ‘It was okay’.

 

Luc drove for the next major street. There was no traffic. The parade was noisy from the school bands. At the cross streets, looking over, he saw the floats. He stopped and watched giant bouquets of flowers looking for all the world like animals, buildings, people and things. He stared at the girls on horseback. Their dresses looked sort of like old Romanian dresses, just much larger and more colorful and the flowers, they were woven all over the horses.

                                  

 

On Lincoln he turned towards the hills and found a restaurant. Inside he ordered steak and eggs. He knew she would ask questions, he pointed to the picture, “Just like the picture, please.”

 

Luc thought of the past. He remembered how Nigel had been in Romania and compared that Nigel to the one he had been seeing since they left New York. Nigel had spent a large chunk of his recovery at the Yoder farm. Three weeks and three days, almost a month. The first day there, Nigel had slept 23 hours. After that Luc made sure Nigel dressed and walked to the restaurant at least once a day, he aimed for two. It was like Nigel was still in the coma, except if you talked to him, he would wake up.

 

Luc had become friends with the Yoders. They taught him to clean the stalls. When they saw he had no fear of the horses, they taught him to brush, and then hitch them. Near the end of their stay, he was running the team up and down the fields. Helping with the harvest. He liked the Yoder’s sense of humor. He paid them at the beginning of each week. And the last week he had not asked for the balance back. But, he knew they had the change ready.

 

The old Nigel surfaced only in response to others. As in the men who were going to ‘stiff’ the waitress of her tip. Wait, there was another time.

The waitress bought him his food, he took a bite and sent it back, peeved.

 

Once in some city, they had entered it and Nigel had said, “No.” He couldn’t tell why, but they got back on the freeway.

 

Luc started thinking about the situation. Was Nigel using the guy? Maybe he should have found a girl for Nigel? Nigel didn’t seem interested. And now, he couldn’t have fallen for somebody that fast. Could he? He thought about Adam. Almost no facial hair. Sort of docile looking. He started thinking without thinking. That random dreamy way people come up with solutions. Oh, Adam was shorter than Nigel. Fuck. Adam and Gabi. They look a little similar. Close enough, to a Nigel with a brain injury? How angry was Nigel with his ex? If Adam was too passive? What might Nigel do to the little Twinkie?

 

His food came. It was okay. He ordered two more to go. He ate. A police car drove up the street, lights on, no siren, in the middle of the street. Luc felt the shock wave from the car inside the building. The few people that were there all looked up and watched.

 

Luc was suddenly anxious, he wanted to get back. To what? Rescue Adam? Or to rescue Nigel? From what? Himself? He’d seen the aftermaths of a Nigel encounter. Could he even stop Nigel? He checked the time, paid his bill and left a healthy tip. It was a holiday and she, she was interesting. And she did what he wanted.

 

He drove to Adam’s place and walking up he looked at his window, a curtain had been moved. Was that a good thing or a bad thing? Holding the styrofoam containers in one hand, and the coffee in the other, tense, he knocked with a knuckle on the door. 

 

Adam looked out the window at Luc. Luc pressed his eyes shut, hard, in relief. He looked away from the door and took a deep breath, blinked rapidly, then turned to the door as Adam opened it, “Hello.”

 

“Hello.” Luc replied, as he tried to smile.

 

“Please come in.” Said Adam, standing partly behind the door. Nigel was standing in the middle of the room wearing slacks. Luc entered, checking Nigel’s chest and walked to the table, where he set down the bag. Adam shut the door and went over to the bag, and began unpacking. “What is this? Two of them. It smells good.” Luc checked over both men. Adam was wearing his shirt, buttoned up, and nothing else.

 

Bruises were forming on Adam’s legs. Luc looked at Nigel. Nigel did a slow spin, dropping his slacks at the same time, so Luc could see his bruises and scratches. So! Adam gave as good as he got! During sex. No problem mom! Luc felt such relief. He also noticed with some shock that the scratches were vertical on Nigel’s back and he had the beginnings of fingertip bruising on his shoulders. What were they doing? Nigel raised his slacks. At least neither of them was bleeding.

 

“What’s this?” Luc couldn’t help himself, when he saw the blood on Adam’s sleeve. From Adam’s backside Luc put his hands up under his armpits, saying, “Let’s go into the bathroom.” Adam’s heart beat was fast. Otherwise he seemed okay. Luc took his hands down. He turned to Nigel, “Help him wash the blood off of his arm. I’ll get him another shirt. When Luc came back with the shirt, sure enough Adam was totally naked. He checked the arm. Blunt force trauma, hard enough to split the skin. Luc went to the kitchen and used a towel and ice to make an ice pack.

 

A little tense Adam said, “I don’t know how I did this.”

“I’m sorry, Adam. Take out a bandaid, Adam,” Nigel directed. “Does it hurt, Adam?” 

“Yes.” Nigel ran his hand down Adam’s back, until he reached his thigh, then went back up. Curling his fingers around, cupping him. 

“Oh.” Adam breathed several more ‘Oh’s.’ Luc waited just around the corner. When Nigel was ready, he handed him the ice pack. He laid down on the sofa. And decided he was not leaving next time. 

They finished and went into the bedroom. Adam dressed. They returned to the dining area. Adam watched Nigel eat.


	12. What? What?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What happens now? What will happen next?

When Nigel finished his breakfast/lunch he told Adam, “We have to leave in a few minutes. I don’t want to go. But it would be best if we did.”

He held Adam in his lap caressing and kissing him. Then he dressed and the two men were about to leave, when Adam said, “I am your Captain.”

Nigel held a hand on either side of Adam’s face, softly saying, “You are.” He looked into Adam’s unbelievably blue eyes and kissed him again.

“Then you have to go where I command.”

“I do.” 

“Then you have to come back.” Adam looked directly into Nigel’s eyes.

“I do.”

Adam stepped out onto the landing, to watch them drive away.


End file.
